New York— With the stroke of his veto pen, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has, for the fourth time, blocked key funding for essential women’s health services, including lifesaving cancer screenings, birth control, and well-woman checkupsfor over 136,000 patients.

This is yet another step backwards for access to health care in New Jersey and a preview of what is in store for women across the country should Mitt Romney be elected president. Throughout his presidential campaign, Mitt Romney has aligned himself with a very narrow and dangerous anti-women’s health minority, including Governor Chris Christie. Governor Christie recently hosted a high-dollar fundraiser for Romney in Woodbridge and had previously hosted a fundraiser in Parsippany for Romney last December.

Statement from Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Action Fund

“Without a doubt, what is happening in New Jersey is a preview of Mitt Romney’s plan for women’s health in America. Like Chris Christie, Mitt Romney has made it clear he cares more about politics than women’s health. Mitt Romney has vowed to end the federal family planning program that provides preventive health care for more than five million people a year, and to strip all federal support for Planned Parenthood. This would have devastating consequences for women across the country.”

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BACKGROUND To date, six family planning health centers have closed as a result of Christie’s anti women’s health policies. For more on the impact of the elimination of women’s health funding in New Jersey, please click here.

In 2010, Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ) eliminated a state budget line that provided basic reproductive health care services for over 136,000 patients. These services included lifesaving cancer screenings, birth control, prevention and treatment of STIs, breast health services, Pap tests, and other health screenings. This funding was not used for abortion services.

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Planned Parenthood Action Fund is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit membership organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The Action Fund engages in educational and electoral activity, including voter education, grassroots organizing, and legislative advocacy.

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